


Ms. Stark and Mr. Baelish's Mysteries

by lyrawinter



Category: Game of Thrones (TV)
Genre: Adventure, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, F/M, Friends to Lovers, I came up with this idea after watching the trailer of Project Blue Book, Modern Westeros, Paranormal, Professor Baelish, Romance, Sansa works as his assistant, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-03-17
Updated: 2019-10-11
Packaged: 2019-11-22 19:56:02
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 19,685
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18141065
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lyrawinter/pseuds/lyrawinter
Summary: A series of short adventures set in Modern Westeros.SLOW UPDATES





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> I came up with this idea after watching the trailer of Project Blue Book. I'm still working on the first adventure so it could take me a while to post it, but I feel like sharing the prologue. I hope you enjoy it! :-)
> 
> A big thanks to petyrbaealish for beta-ing it! :-)

Prologue

 

Although it was only eight o’clock in the morning, there was already a huge amount of people waiting in line at the Service Office of King’s Landing University.

 _Shit._ Sansa stood in line hoping it would move faster. At least there were two employees working so in truth it was as if there were only half as many people waiting, right? Luckily no one would require more than a minute to get the information they needed.

“Excuse me, is this the end of the line?” Sansa heard a male voice behind her. She turned around to answer and as soon as her eyes settled on the boy, she recognized him. It was Harrold Hardyng, Jon Arryn’s great nephew. The Arryn family was one of the noble families in Westeros. It was said that some of their ancestors had been kings and queens in the first centuries of the current era. Harrold Hardyng was also known as Harry the Heir, for he was going to inherit Jon Arryn’s estate upon his death. Sansa had seen pictures of him in magazines: attending royal weddings, horseback riding, vacationing on a yacht… She had also watched some of his appearances on TV, but this was the first time she had seen him in person.

Every woman Sansa knew had a crush on him. He wasn’t bad looking, indeed: he was tall and muscular, his facial features were proportionate, and he had blue eyes, the favored color for most people. However, Sansa had never felt attracted to him. He looked like one of those ancient sculptures from the museums. Pleasant to look at, but cold and distant.

“Ms.”? Harrold tilted his head, not bothering to hide his amusement.

 _Great, he must think that I’m besotted with him._

“Sorry. Yes, this is the end of the line.” It was obvious anyway. People were in a straight line.

“Thank you, Ms…”

“Stark.”

“Thank you, Ms. Stark.” He extended his hand. “I’m Harrold Hardyng. It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

She shook his hand.

“The same to you.”

“And what are you doing here, Ms. Stark? I’ve never seen you before or I’d remember. I never forget a pretty face.”

She made an effort not to roll her eyes at his attempt to flirt with her.

“I’m here to meet with Professor Baelish.”

“Ah, so you must be his new assistant.”

“That’s what I’m aiming for. I applied for the job last week and got a call from the President’s Office two days later, asking if I could meet the Professor today for an interview.”

“Then there’s a high chance that you’ll be hired. When it comes to Professor’s assistant jobs, the President’s Office always selects the best candidates so the Professors can choose their favorite afterwards. So you just have to make sure Professor Baelish picks you.”

“You say it as if it were a piece of cake.”

“It is. Come on, he would be an asshole if he didn’t choose you.”

“You haven’t read my resume.”

He leaned forward, making her uncomfortable.

“I don’t need to. I can see you are perfect.”

Sansa huffed and averted her eyes.

Why wouldn’t the line move faster? 

 

*

 

Professor Baelish’s Office was on the second floor. There was a plaque above the door that said:

_221\. Professor Baelish. Department of Astronomy._

The last time Sansa had studied something related to this subject area had been at High School, and she barely remember it. She hoped that this wouldn’t be a problem. After all she was supposed to help him get organized: classifying his emails, scheduling his tasks, typing up his notes…

Surely Professor Baelish didn’t expect her to have any knowledge of Astronomy. She was one of the selected candidates so her curriculum must be good enough.

Sansa took a deep breath and knocked.

“Come in!” She heard his voice from the other side.

The Office smelled of ink, mint and paper. Professor Baelish was standing at his desk. He was dressed in a dark suit. The color matched his hair, black with grey temples, and made his eyes look even greener.

“Good morning, Ms. Stark. It’s a pleasure to meet you,” he said, moving closer to shake her hand.

“The pleasure is mine, Professor.” Sansa didn’t know what else to say. That she had heard many great things about his works? Too cliché, and, besides, she hadn’t read any of them. His articles and books were only for experts in the field. They were very complex and contained specialized terminology. She could tell him that she loved topics related to extraterrestrial life, but she didn’t know if that sounded very professional.

To her relief, Professor Baelish smiled at her and she noticed that his smile reached his eyes.

“Please, take a seat, Ms. Stark.” He pulled out her chair.

“Thank you.”

He waited until she was seated before walking up to his own chair, at the other side of the desk. Sansa placed her bag on her lap and looked at him. Professor Baelish gave her an enigmatic smile and opened a drawer. He took a circular item that seemed made of metal and put it on the desk.

Sansa looked at it attentively. It has some signs engraved on it, but she couldn’t understand their meaning. Her eyes met his, questioning. Professor Baelish moved his head slightly.

“Go ahead, Ms. Stark. Hold it so you can examine it closer and feel its texture and weight.”

Sansa grabbed the object and let out an exclamation of surprise.

“It’s as light as a feather!”

Professor Baelish crossed his arms, delighted with her reaction.

“It is. It’s even lighter than graphene, the lightest material we knew up to now. This object was found with two others by a farmer in a wheat field to the South of Dorne. A group of scientists that collaborate with the Intelligence Service have analyzed them, comparing them with the metals and metalloids we already know and have proved that their composition is very different and defy our knowledge of Chemistry. The signs are also a challenge. Several linguists have tried to figure out their meaning without success. They have no clue what language it is and since we don’t have any other samples, it’s almost impossible to figure out its grammar rules and try to rebuild its alphabet.

“So chances are that the objects come from another planet.”

“The scientists haven’t dismissed this possibility. They are still testing the other two, but this seems to have rekindled the government’s interest in discovering what secrets are hidden in our world. As you must have read in the news, Ms. Stark, last month, some people from the Intelligence Service showed up at my home and asked me to work for them.”

Sansa nodded. The news had been published in all the newspapers. According to the articles, the government had chosen Professor Baelish because he was an expert in Astronomy and because he had exposed several UFO-related hoaxes in the past, proving that he wasn’t easily tricked by appearances.

However, none of the newspapers had mentioned the three strange objects. Apart from the Professor and the farmer who had found them, only the Government and the people who had analyzed the material and the signs must know about their existence. So, why had the Professor told Sansa about it? Even more so: he had shown one of those objects to her. Surely, he had infringed the law in doing so.

Her thoughts must have been very clear because he chuckled and said:

“You’re wondering why I’ve shown this object to you and revealed what seems to be secret information. Your guesses are right, Ms. Stark: The Government intended to keep this matter confidential, at least for now, but when they made me the offer, I told them that I’d need to hire an assistant if I wanted to coordinate my job as a professor at the University with my investigations. Not only did they accept but they also allowed me to share all the confidential information with my assistant under the condition that she helps me to find the truth.

“The truth?”

He leaned forward, gazing at her with intensity, and lowered his voice:

“Is there intelligent extraterrestrial life?” 

Sansa felt a rush of excitement. What the Government intended was truly ambitious, but this didn’t answer why Petyr had already told her confidential information. She looked at him.

“This… this sounds very promising, Professor, but I still don’t understand why you’ve revealed it to me before…”

“Before you’ve accept the job?” He smirked and opened another drawer. He took out several sheets stapled together. Sansa recognized them: it was her resume. His smirk grew wider and he started reading aloud some of the paragraphs she’d written:

 _August-December 2016. Castle of Count Drake. Typist. Job description: I worked for the Count typing out several manuscripts from his library (…) May-December 2017. Highgarden. Detective’s assistant. Job description: I worked for Detective Horace Stone as his assistant. I scheduled the meetings for him, accompanied him in his investigations and wrote the reports about his cases. (…)_ Professor Baelish looked up to meet her eyes, his glimmering with excitement. “Your resume stands out among the others, Ms. Stark and these lines were actually the ones that made me certain you’d be perfect for this job. You not only have the studies required for working as an assistant. You also have an adventurous spirit. You dare to travel to remote regions and work for people there are terrible rumors about. I guess you weren’t unaware of what was said about Count Drake when you went to his castle.

“I wasn’t.”

Count Drake was said to be a supernatural creature that fed on human blood.

“Did you think the rumors were false?” Professor Baelish asked.

Sansa didn’t answer immediately. Did she? She had never wanted to think about the reason why she had accepted that job. A part of her was afraid of learning that she had gone to the castle precisely because of the rumors.

“I wasn’t sure,” she said finally.

“So you were willing to risk your life, Ms. Stark.”

It sounded stupid when he said it like that. Sansa moved in her chair uncomfortable. Professor Baelish continued, apparently not noticing her discomfort:

“The promise of adventures dragged you away from your home. The possibility of discovering the unknown; the action; the mystery; the adrenalin. All of that was too tempting to refuse, wasn’t it?” His tone wasn’t mocking, nor reproachful. He was looking at her with sympathy.

Sansa bit her upper lip and slowly, a smile appeared on her face.

Professor Baelish smiled too and put her resume inside the drawer again.

“I’ll confess something to you, Ms. Stark. As you might guess, I wasn’t allowed to speak about the objects and the Government’s aspirations with the candidates, but I wanted to persuade you to accept.”

“I haven’t yet said yes, Professor,” she said in amusement. Gods. Was she teasing him?

Professor Baelish chuckled.

“I confess I’m a gambler, dear. I’m willing to risk everything in order to get what I want.”

“And what do you want?”

His answer sent a shiver down her spine.

“Everything.”


	2. The Creature

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you all are doing well. I'm sorry but life has gotten busier lately so I haven't been able to write anything. Since this was written some months ago, I've decided to post it in case someone wants to read it. Just a heads-up: it ends with a cliffhanger and I don't know when I'll be able to continue it. If you prefer to wait until the continuation is posted, that's perfectly fine :-)
> 
> I want to thank petyrbaealish for beta-ing The Creature. Her comments and corrections are aways very helpful. All remaining errors are my own.

**The Creature**

I

“Sansa, dear, is that you?” She heard a female voice coming from one of the rooms on the ground floor.

“Yes, Ms. Phillis,” Sansa said, closing the street door.

“You haven't brought a man home, have you, dear?”

Sansa sighed and began to unbutton her jacket.

“No, Ms. Phillis.”

“Good. For you know this is a respectable house.”

“I know, Ms. Phillis.” Sansa looked at the stairs. If she was quick enough, she could enter her apartment before her landlady got out of the room.

The sound of a latch made her freeze.

Too late.

Ms. Phillis appeared in the corridor, carrying a pile of magazines. Her cane tapped against the wooden floor as she walked towards Sansa. Once she stopped, she tilted her head and studied Sansa's attire and hairstyle in silence.

Sansa took a deep breath, trying to stay calm while the old woman continued her thorough examination. This is just temporary. Once I find a better place, I'll move. Sansa had been living there for a month ever since she’d moved to King's Landing. The apartment was the best she could afford at the moment, but that would change when she got her first paycheck. Thankfully she had gotten the job or else she didn't know how much she would have lasted living on only her savings.

Ms. Phillis seemed pleased with her attire, for she gave Sansa an approving look.

“I couldn't wish you good luck in the morning, dear. You left so early.”

“I wanted to be on time, Ms. Phillis,” Sansa said, and smiled before adding: “I got the job.”

“Congratulations, dear! Being an assistant at the University is a perfectly respectful job for a young woman.”

“Thank you.” Sansa averted her eyes. She hadn't told Ms. Phillis about the journeys she'd have to make with Professor Baelish in order to investigate paranormal phenomena because she knew that the old woman would be shocked. Ms. Phillis thought that Sansa was going to work in an office all the time, and Sansa didn't want to set her straight.

“And when do you start, dear?”

“Tomorrow. I'm a little tired so I'd like to take a shower and get some rest.”

“Oh, I'm sorry, dear, but the shower still doesn't get hot water. I phoned the plumber awhile ago. He said he won't be able to come until tomorrow.”

“What?” It couldn't be possible. No. Sansa had discovered that there wasn't any hot water that morning when she'd tried to take a shower. It wasn't the first time this had happened, and the situation made her want to scream. “I'll shower with cold water,” she decided.

“But you could catch a cold, dear!”

“I'll take the risk.”

II

The next morning, Sansa took the 7.00 a.m. bus and when she arrived at the university, she went straight to Professor Baelish's office, following his instructions.

She didn't know what to expect from her first day of work. The previous day they hadn't talked about what her work routine would be like. After the Professor showed her the strange object and told her about the government's offer, they had spent the last part of the interview discussing what the probability that extraterrestrial life existed was. It had been a conversation so stimulating that time had flown by, and before she could knew it the Professor was apologizing for having to end it:

“I’m sorry, Ms. Stark. I'd love to keep talking with you, but I have to teach a class in ten minutes.”

“Oh, of course, don't worry Professor.”

After they both had risen to their feet, he'd held out his hand.

“I'm looking forward to more conversations with you. This one has been very enjoyable.”

His words had brought a smile to her face.

“Me too, Professor.” She had shaken his hand.

Sansa hadn’t slept very well that night, the anticipation making her toss and turn for most of it, but when she had looked in the mirror this morning, her eyes didn’t show any sign of tiredness. Far from it, they were radiant. 

As she headed towards his office, she shivered remembering how intense his gaze had grown when he saw her off. Even if he hadn't let her know that he'd enjoyed talking with her, she'd have known. They'd clicked and that was such a relief. They were going to spend so much time together so getting along well made everything easier.

Sansa stopped in front of his office and knocked on the door. Soon it opened and the Professor appeared on the other side, his eyes lighting up when they met hers.

“Good morning, Ms. Stark. Please, come in.”

“Thank you.” Sansa stepped inside the office and saw it had been reorganized. Another desk, computer and chair had been added a few inches away from Professor Baelish's. For her. She had expected the University to assign her a small office near his.

“I hope you don't mind sharing the office with me,” he said, passing by her as he walked towards his desk. “The university has some space allocation problems and it wasn’t possible to find an available room on this floor.”

“Oh, of course. No, I don't mind. I'll be fine here.” More than fine in fact. This was a nice surprise. However, was it for him? ”I hope this doesn't cause any inconvenience to you,” she added slowly.

He smiled and shook his head.

“Oh, no, Ms. Stark. No inconvenience at all. In fact I believe it's better this way. If we worked in different offices, we'd lose much time going from one to another every time we needed to talk.”

Sansa smiled too, relieved that he thought so.

“Oh, before I forget.” He took a note from a stack of papers and offered it to her. “We have been invited to a conference about meteorites. It will be hosted at the University of Dorne the week before the Christmas holidays. I know it's not the best month to be on a business trip so I'd understand if you won’t be able to attend..”

There were still three months left until then. Sansa had agreed with her family that she'd go back home on Christmas Eve, but she hadn't plans for the previous days and the idea of spending this time with the Professor made her stomach flutter.

“You're very kind.” She took the note. It contained the information about the days the conference would last, some instructions the attendants must follow, and also a phone number and email to confirm attendance. “I'll be free that week, and I'd love to go.”

His face lit up.

“Great. That's great. Then could you confirm our attendance and book the hotel rooms? The best hotel in the area is Water Gardens according to what I’ve heard. And could you also buy the train tickets? The University takes care of the travel expenses and it will also pay us for the conference.”

“Us? Professor, you’re very kind to include me, but it will be your conference. I’ll be happy to help you with the preparation, but I couldn’t accept an extra payment for something that is part of my duties as your assistant. I wouldn’t feel comfortable. I hope you understand.”

He smiled softly.

“I understand.” 

“Thank you.” Sansa smiled, relieved to see that he didn’t seem bothered and that he respected her decision.

The Professor sat down and grabbed a folder. “I don't have a class until ten o'clock so perhaps we could start organizing our schedule for the upcoming weeks.”

She nodded and turned on her computer. 

During the next hour and a half, the Professor read aloud some of his appointments for the trimester: classes, faculty meetings, tutorials, examination reviews, seminars... Sansa added all of them to the software in silence.

At quarter to ten, he closed his notepad, satisfied.

“I think that's enough for now. We can continue later, Ms. Stark.”

Sansa leaned back in her chair and looked at him. She wanted to say something, but she feared that her words could bother him. Professor Baelish smiled as if he had just read her mind.

“Go on, Ms. Stark, say what you're thinking. I'd like it if we could talk honestly.” 

“Alright. I was just thinking that you seem to have your appointments very well organized in your notepad.”

“You're correct.” He gave her a mischievous smile as if they were sharing a secret. “Though I value the benefits of the new technologies, I've always managed well with paper calendars and notepads.”

“But you have to justify my presence here somehow, don't you?”

“Exactly. Your work will be essential when the government starts giving us tasks. However, for now I'm afraid your job here will be a little boring.”

“Don't worry, Professor. I'm sure it will worth it.”

*

Before leaving the office to give his first class in the morning, the Professor showed her one of his shelves, the one in which he kept the astronomy magazines. Sansa learned that he was subscribed to all that were currently in circulation, from the ones targeted at the general public to the ones for specialists in Astronomy.

“Every one of them has something appealing,” he told her. “And you never know when you might find something that sparkles your interest. It could be a photograph, a footnote, anything.”

Professor Baelish gave her permission to read whatever she wanted in his absence. Once she was alone, Sansa picked up a magazine about planets and took a seat again, willing to spend the next two hours reading. However, a few minutes had barely passed when the phone rang.

“Professor Baelish's Office. Can I help you?”

“Good morning,” a male voice said from the other side. “Who am I speaking with?”

“Ms. Stark. Professor Baelish's assistant.”

“Ah, excellent. A pleasure to speak with you Ms. Stark. I'm calling from The Bastion.”

The Bastion was the residence and workplace of The President of Westeros. A building as large as a palace and as impenetrable as a fortress. 

“Ms. Stark. Are you still there?”

“Yes, yes, I'm sorry. I'm listening.”

“Alright. The Government wants to make an appointment with you and Professor Baelish to talk about your first task as investigators. Do you have a pen and paper with you?”

*

When the Professor entered the office, Sansa rose to her feet and handed the paper to him.

“A person form the Government called a while ago to make an appointment. The Government wants to talk with us about our first task.”

The Professor read the paper. The Bastion. October 4th. 11:00. Show Identification Cards at the front entrance. He raised his eyes to meet hers, and the corners of his mouth quirked. “It seems we are about to have our first adventure together, Ms. Stark.”

III

The rest of the workday passed without incident. Professor Baelish had to leave the office in to give more classes, but in-between them he continued dictating his appointments to Sansa.

However, the news that the Government would give them their first task this same week remained at the back of their minds, and every time they took a break from scheduling, they brought up the topic.

“I've never been in The Bastion, Ms. Stark.”

“Me neither.”

“Once we arrive, we'll likely be led to one of the rooms and won't be allowed to see anything else.” He paused and looked at her with amusement. “I bet we won't even be able to go to the toilet alone.”

Sansa laughed.

“That's probable,” she agreed. She tilted her head and asked with curiosity: “What do you think our first task will be?”

“It could be almost anything. Did you know that Westeros was considered The Continent of Magic in the Ancient Times?”

Sansa nodded. She remembered having read it in a book when she was at High School. Back then, when History, Myth and Legend were indistinguishable, it was told that dragons, white walkers, the children of the forest and other creatures considered legendary lived in Westeros among human beings.

“And have you heard the recent theories stating that some of these creatures could be actually extraterrestrial?”

“No.” Sansa looked at him with interest. What? How could that be possible?

The professor leaned back in his chair, pleased with her reaction.

“Some people have analyzed the information we have about them and they think that some of them aren’t fictional, but really existed and came from another planet. Imagine what this would mean. Their abilities, which we consider supernatural in our world, would be common in their place of origin. Just think about it: the ability to fly, their extraordinary strength and speed… according to these theories, they visited us for a short time and they went back home afterwards.”

“But, why would they do such a thing?”

“There are different hypothesis but the most popular is that they came to collect information about us: abilities, technological advances, flaws… Why? Well, I guess there are three options.” Professor Baelish paused and rested his arms on the desk: “The first one is that they wanted to help us, that they were looking for a way to improve our lives. If so, they could have already done it without making themselves known. The second option is that they collected the information as a precaution, to use it against us in case we become a threat in the future. If so, they would try to go unnoticed until then. And the third option…Well, the third option is that they were planning to harm us, perhaps with the intention of conquering us… or making us disappear.”

Sansa shuddered.

“That’s scary,” she muttered.

“Yeah. But remember that they are only hypotheses.” He smiled reassuringly. “Personally, I believe there is life on other planets. It would be egocentric to think that we are alone in the universe. However, I have doubts they contacted us. It’s possible that they don’t even know we exist, Ms. Stark.”

“Yes, I guess so.”

*

During one of their breaks, at noon, they went to the nearest cafe, a cozy place famous for their cakes, which were inspired by books.

Sansa stood in front of the vitrine admiring all of them. There was one in particular that drew her attention: a cake portraying a castle surrounded by a large garden with trees. At the back, under one of them, there were two small figurines kissing: a woman in a white dress, her long wavy hair spilling down her back, and a man in armor. All the details had been carefully crafted. Sansa was in awe. 

Professor Baelish followed the direction of her gaze.

“A very evocative scene, isn’t it? It transports you to another world, one with princesses and knights, extraordinary adventures, secrets encounters and forbidden love. It almost seems a shame to eat it.”

Sansa smiled. So the Professor was a dreamer.

“Who do you think they are?” she asked.

He came closer to her and studied the couple.

“It’s hard to guess. Since it’s a literary cake I’m inclined to think that they are Jonquil and Florian.”

“They could also be the main characters from The Princess by G.T. Bard,” Sansa said and gave him a quick look out of the corner of her eye. Their arms were almost brushing, and she could smell his cologne, a faint herbal scent that made her think of a forest.

“Indeed.” Professor Baelish moved away a few inches and turned to face her, smiling. “Would you like to have a piece of this one?”

“I hadn’t thought of having a dessert,” she confessed. “Soup and a sandwich will be just fine.”

“Come on, Ms. Stark, it’s your first day at this job. We should celebrate.” His eyes gleamed. “We could share a piece if you prefer. You choose the cake.”

Sansa couldn’t help but smile. She appreciated his effort to make her feel comfortable on her first day of work.

“Do you like the taste of lemon?” she asked.

He smiled in kind.

“Yes.”

*

The only lemon flavored cake was one inspired by a popular children’s book, about a girl who traveled to a magic city to ask a renowned wizard for help. The cake was made with fresh lemon juice and zest, and it was covered in cream cheese buttercream.

Professor Baelish and Sansa sat near the window. They didn’t have to wait too long for the waitress to serve them the food they had ordered:

“Vegetable soup, one egg and cheese grilled sandwich, one tuna sandwich and one piece of cake,” the waitress said as she placed the bowls and the plates on the table.

They thanked her. When she walked away, the Professor looked at Sansa and smiled gently.

“It’s nice to have lunch with someone.”

“Do you usually eat alone?” Sansa asked with surprise.

“Yes, I usually pick up something on my way to work in the morning and eat it in my office while I read articles and write down some notes.”

“So you don’t take lunch breaks.”

The professor laughed softly.

“Yeah, I guess when work absorbs me, I find it difficult to stop,” he admitted. “But that could change. I mean, if you want us to have lunch together from now on. I cannot imagine you would want to spend all your time at the office. That wouldn’t be fair.”

His consideration made her smile. Sansa wasn’t opposed to eating in the office but It would be nice to spend half an hour with him outside the university on weekdays. And it would be beneficial for him to have some time off from work too.

“I’d like to have lunch with you from now on, professor,” she said and suddenly she felt a little shy. Please, please, don’t blush, she told herself.

He gave her a soft smile.

“Please, call me Petyr.”

She smiled back.

“Petyr.”

They settled into a comfortable silence.

*

“Do you like King’s Landing?” Petyr asked her as they ate their soup.

Sansa grabbed her spoon.

“Yes. It’s very different from the other places I’ve been. There’s more hustle and bustle than in Highgarden and definitely more than in Winterfell.” She laughed. “But I think this makes it more appealing.”

“Do you miss Winterfell?”

“Sometimes,” she confessed. This was the first time she said her birthplace aloud in his presence, and it felt as if she was opening up to him, even though she hadn’t told him anything he didn’t already know. Sansa had written in her resume that she had been born in Winterfell and what age she had been when she left.

Petyr nodded.

“I understand what you mean. I was born in the Fingers, a small, stony and rainy region on the east coast of the Vale of Arryn. I don’t know if you have ever heard of it.” 

“No, I’m sorry.”

Something crossed his eyes, but Sansa couldn’t figure out what it was. Disappointment? Relief? A mix of both?

“Don’t be sorry. It’s just a piece of land in the middle of nowhere. Nothing interesting.”

Sorrow. Sansa noticed it in his voice, masked by feigned indifference. He was good at pretending, she had to admit it, but she was learning to read him.

“Oh, you know, pieces of land in the middle of nowhere are some of my favorite places,” she said in a casual tone as she took her glass. “It’s usually where extraordinary adventures happen. And how did you say it: “The promise of adventures dragged you away from your home”? I think those were exactly the words you used during the interview, weren’t they?

Petyr smiled as if he knew what Sansa was trying to do. Of course he knew.

“Yes, if my memory serves me correctly, those were exactly the words I used,” he replied tilting his head.

“So perhaps in the future we’ll have to travel there for a case.”

He let out a laugh.

“Perhaps,” he agreed. “Who knows what the future will bring.”

*

At five o’clock they turned off their computers and started picking up their things.

“How did you like your first day?” the Professor asked her when they left the office.

“Oh, it was really good,” she answered as they walked along the corridors. She noticed that some female students glanced furtively at them. Probably almost everyone would know by now that she was his assistant. Sansa knew that many students must consider Professor Baelish an attractive man (it was not as if she had been thinking about his looks. Not at all), but she didn’t like to think that some of these students might feel jealous of her. 

“I’m glad,” Petyr said, apparently oblivious to the attention they were drawing. “I know it hasn’t been very exciting but hopefully this will change after the meeting with the government.”

“I can’t wait.”

His smile broadened when he heard her. They bowed their heads slightly as they crossed paths with other teachers from the Department. When they went outside, Professor Baelish asked her:

“How did you get here?”

“I took the bus.”

“I shall take you home. My car is in the parking lot.”

“Oh, you’re very kind, Professor, but don’t worry. My bus must be about to arrive.”

“It’s no bother at all, Sansa. I want to.”

Sansa. Not Miss Stark. This was the first time the Professor, that Petyr, had called her by her name.

“Alright,” she said.

His smile was contagious and made her feel something warm in her chest.

It didn’t take long for them to reach the car. It was back and elegant, and Sansa noticed a faint smell of mint when she got in.

“Where are we headed?” he asked after turning the key.

Sansa looked at him. Her address was written in her resume so either the Professor didn’t remember it or he was pretending not to know it to prevent her from feeling uncomfortable. After all, they barely knew each other. 

Anyway, he hadn’t done anything wrong so Sansa answered his question and didn’t ask him if he already knew it. 

During the ride, they talked about music. They discovered they had different tastes (the Professor usually listened to jazz while Sansa preferred indie pop) but they both loved flute and violin music.

“Flute and violin seem to be instruments made by elves,” he told her. “Every time I listen to this kind of music I feel transported. It makes me think of a world with prophecies, spells and magical creatures.”

Sansa smiled.

“Would you like to travel to a place like this if it were possible?”

“I am not certain,” he answered, putting the turn signal on and looking in the rearview mirror. “It definitely sounds appealing. Just imagine all the extraordinary things you would see on a daily basis. But it would probably be very dangerous to live in such a world, especially if you are not powerful. If you had neither magic nor brute strength, how could you survive?”

“You have your intellect,” Sansa said with conviction.

Her answer caught him off guard. He glanced at her, and Sansa noticed that he was trying to find a proper reply. 

He didn’t succeed and soon his eyes were fixed on the road again.

A few streets from her home, she asked him to stop.

He looked surprised, but he obeyed. After parking, he lowered the volume of the music until it was barely audible and turned to her. Sansa bit her lip, knowing that he was waiting for an explanation.

“I’m sorry, but I don’t want my landlady to find out that you’ve brought me home. She’s always trying to spy on me, and that’s nerve-wracking. Also she doesn’t allow me to take men home so I couldn’t invite you to have a coffee.”

He raised his brows, but before he could speak, she added:

“I’m trying to find a better place, but it’s not possible for now.” Her cheeks started to feel hot. Gods, she shouldn’t feel embarrassed. She was doing what she could. As soon as she saved some money, she could leave Ms. Phillis’ flat.” 

The Professor touched her arm gently.

“I understand,” he said. “Truly. And I know you’ll find another place soon. But, Sansa, if you ever need some help, you just have to ask.”

She lifted her eyes and gave him a small smile.

“Thank you.” But it wouldn’t be necessary. She just had to save some money and she could do so thanks to this job. She unfastened her seat belt. “I should go.”

Petyr nodded.

“See you tomorrow.”

*

Once she was home, she phoned her mother.

“Hello?” Catelyn’s voice sounded from the other side. Sansa could hear the sound of steps and laughs too.

“Mom?”

“Ah, Sansa. How are you doing, dear? How was your first day?” Her words were mixed with the background noise.

“Very good. Mom, what’s happening there?”

“Jon and Ygritte are here with the kids. We were about to head to the movies when you called.”

“Oh.” Jon and Ygritte lived with their three children in Castle Black, and they often went to visit Catelyn and Ned. The kids loved their grandparents. “No problem, mom, I’ll phone you another day.”

“I hope you’re well settled by now and the professor you’re working for is treating you well.”

“Oh, yes, Professor Baelish is really nice,” Sansa replied just when a thunderous laugh sounded from the other side.

“Ian!” her mother exclaimed and then she said to Sansa: “I’m sorry, dear, I couldn’t hear what you said. The boys are so excited to watch the movie. Jon told me they have been talking about it all week.”

Sansa laughed.

“It’s okay, mom. Have fun! We can talk on another occasion.”

“Thank you. Take care. I love you.”

“I love you too.”

IV

Her second day was very similar to the first one. She continued typing out his schedule and read some articles about extraterrestrial life whenever the Professor left the office. At noon, they went to the café again and shared a piece of a cake for dessert, inspired by a classic fantasy series that had many fans across the country. They had discovered that they both loved these books, and they spent most of the lunch break talking about their favorite scenes and characters.

In the afternoon, he took her home. Like the day before, he parked a few streets away from her apartment.

“Only a few hours left until the meeting,” he said after turning off the radio.

Tomorrow. Just a few hours left to be given their first task as investigators. At eleven o’clock, someone from the government would arrive at the university to take them to The Bastion.

“I don’t know if I’ll be able to sleep tonight,” she confessed.

He smiled.

“It’s alright. I’ll probably won’t be able to sleep either.”

“Great,” she said. “We’ll go to the meeting with eye bags.”

He let out a laugh.

“Yes, probably.”

They fell silent, a small smile on their lips. Sansa didn’t want to get out. She wanted to stay with him a little longer, even though they had been more than eight hours together. But he needed to go back home and get some rest too.

She grabbed the door handle.

“See you tomorrow, Petyr.”

His face lit up like the previous times she had called him by his name. It was beautiful to see how one word could have this effect on someone, but it was also terrifying. Words matter and sometimes we aren’t aware of the impact they can have.

He bowed his head slightly and said:

“Sleep well, Sansa.”

*

The next day, three official cars were parked in front of the university. The Professor and Sansa were already waiting outside, and they exchanged a look of surprise.

“I didn’t expect us to be escorted by two cars,” he confessed in a low voice.

“Me neither,” she whispered. She didn’t know if this was the usual procedure when someone not related to royalty nor a member of the government had a meeting at The Bastion. But if not, why would The President have given them more protection?

A man around fifty, with a grey beard and dressed in a dark brown suit, got out of the second car and walked towards them. The man took out his work card from the inside of his jacket and showed it to them.

“Davos Seaworth, consultant from the Department of Intelligence,” he said. “Could I see your identifications, please?”

They nodded and showed their passports to him.

“Thank you,” Mr. Seaworth said after checking them carefully. He offered his hand to them afterwards. “Nice to meet you, Ms. Stark. Mr. Baelish. Please, accompany me. The President is waiting for you.”

The President of Westeros? Sansa exchanged another look with Petyr, and saw he seemed as surprised as she was. She had thought that the President would be too busy to receive them and that he would have delegated someone to this meeting.

Mr. Seaworth opened one of the back doors and nodded to them. Once Sansa and the Professor had gotten into the car and fastened their seat belts, he closed the door again and took out a walkie-talkie.

“Onion Knight to White Cloak One,” he said.

“White Cloak One. Go ahead,” a person from the car ahead of them replied.

“Everything goes as planned. Start the car.”

“Understood.”

Mr. Seaworth pressed a different button:

“Onion Knight to White Cloak Two,” he said.

“White Cloak Two. Go ahead,” a person from the car behind them replied.

“We are about to leave. Get ready.”

“Understood.”

Mr. Seaworth put the walkie-talkie inside of his jacket again and got into the car. He sat next to the driver and gestured for him to turn the key.

While the driver maneuvered the car, Mr. Seaworth looked at Petyr and Sansa through the front mirror.

“Is everything alright, Ms. Stark. Mr. Baelish?”

“Yes,” they nodded.

“We’ll be at The Bastion in about twenty minutes if there isn’t much traffic.”

They didn’t talk during the ride. The Bastion was in the suburb, far away from other buildings and surrounded by green fields. They had to pass through several control checkpoints, the first one before crossing the fence and the last one next to the entrance of the house.

Only then were they allowed to get out of the car, the ground rustling under their feet and the smell of the flowering shrubs filling their nostrils.

Before Mr. Baratheon was elected President of Westeros, three years ago, the front garden didn’t exist. There weren’t any grass areas, any stone walkways, any marble fountains. Only a dirt yard. Mr. Baratheon had ordered to design it shortly after he moved into The Bastion.

He was known to be a sensitive man, a man who loved nature, animals, music and poetry and who was kind with other living beings, no matter the species. No one had seen him mistreating any creature. Ever. He owned several goldfinches, bee-eaters and sparrows. All of them lived in the garden, though they were free to go anywhere. Mr. Baratheon didn’t want them in a cage. He had made birdhouses and feeders for them, placed between the bushes and fountains.

He was very different from his parents.

Sansa had never seen him in person, but she had heard of him since she was a child.

Mr. Seaworth exchanged a few words with the guards that had escorted them and afterwards, he turned to Petyr and Sansa and handed them two passes:

_Mr. Baelish. Temporary Pass. Only access to non restricted areas in The Bastion. October 4th. 11 o’clock._

_Ms. Stark. Temporary Pass. Only access to non restricted areas in The Bastion. October 4th. 11 o’clock._

“Attach them to your shirts, please.”

They obeyed. Sansa pulled her hair back, so it didn’t hide the pass, and looked at Petyr. He smiled at her. His eyes seemed to be asking her: Ready? She nodded lightly. This was real. They were about to meet the President of Westeros to talk about some unexplained event that could be related to extraterrestrial phenomena. 

She was more than ready.

Mr. Seaworth spoke again:

“The meeting is in the Amber Room. Before entering, I must tell you some basic rules: Once you are inside, you’ll see there is a red carpet covering some areas of the house. You mustn’t step outside its border. The areas with the floor uncovered are restricted. Also, taking photographs and making both audio and video recordings is completely banned. Some guards will be watching us all the times so please, don’t do anything stupid. If you have any questions before we enter…”

They shook their heads.

“Alright. Then, please, accompany me.”.

Petyr and Sansa exchanged another look before following him into the house.

*

There were several guards in the hall. One of them checked that Petyr and Sansa were on the list of visitants. Afterwards he used his walkie-talkie to communicate with another group of guards that were on the upper floor.

“Mr. Seaworth is already here with Ms. Stark and Mr. Baelish. I need four people to escort them to the Amber Room,” he said.

“Understood,” a voice replied from the other side.

How many guards are there in total in The Bastion? Sansa asked herself. Probably several hundreds. She wouldn’t be shocked if they surpassed one thousand. The security had been reinforced when Cersei was the President. She had been hated and feared by most citizens. She didn’t rule Westeros anymore, but Mr. Baratheon was her son and even though, apparently, he didn’t have anything in common with her apart from DNA, it seemed wise to keep the same level of security.

They didn’t have to wait long for the four guards to come. They walked along the corridors in silence until stopping in front of a blue door. One of the guards knocked.

“Come in,” a voice said right away.

Sansa recognized the voice. It was the President. She didn’t expect him to be already waiting for them. She had thought he would arrive after them.

The guard opened the door and stepped inside. The others gestured for Petyr and Sansa to follow him.

Tommen Baratheon was standing near his desk, but as soon as Petyr and Sansa entered, he approached them, holding out his hand.

“Ms. Stark. Mr. Baelish. I was looking forward to meeting you both. Thanks for coming.”

“Thank you, Mr. President. It’s a great honor to be here,” Petyr replied.

“Yes, thank you for inviting us,” Sansa said.

“Please take a seat.” The President gestured to the armchairs placed in a corner. “Would you like something to drink?”

They declined his invitation politely. Sansa looked around as she walked towards the chairs. The Amber Room was a much more informal space than she had expected. It looked more like a tea room than an office. In the corner, surrounded by the armchairs, there was a glass table, and a big card box on the floor. Sansa glanced at the box with curiosity, wondering what would be inside. We are probably about to find out.

Mr. Seaworth followed them and took a seat as well. The four guards, on the contrary, stood still near the door.

“Have you ever been in Saltcliffe?” the President broke the silence.

Sansa and Petyr looked at each other before answering almost at the same time:

“No.”

Saltcliffe was one of The Iron Islands, in the western coast. It was no secret that Mr. Greyjoy, the governor, had opposed the election of Tommen Baratheon three years ago. The President had never been reunited with him, at least not publicly, and Sansa doubt they had ever met in secret.

Mr. Baratheon motioned for Mr. Seaworth to open the box. As he obeyed, the President looked at Petyr and Sansa again and continued:

“Have you ever heard of The Mysterious Creature?”

Sansa was about to shake her head when Petyr answered:

“Yes. For decades there have been testimonies from people who’ve said they’d seen a strange creature lurking in Saltcliffe. In every case it happened during the night and when the witness was alone. Either the creature doesn’t want to be seen by two or more people at the same time or it’s a product of the imagination.”

The President nodded.

“Yes, there was no other evidence that this creature exists apart from the testimonies,” he said. “Until last week.”

Petyr looked surprised.

“Last week? What… what happened?”

“Last week, the lighthouse keeper affirmed that while he was looking through one of the windows of the lighthouse, he had distinguished the creature near the cliffs. He told the police officer that he left the building hurriedly in hopes of looking at the creature more closely, but that once he was outside, the creature had disappeared.”

Until now the story seemed very similar to the others, Sansa thought. But if the lighthouse keeper had talked with the police, there must be something else.

Her eyes met with The President’s, and he smiled as if he had read her mind.

“The lighthouse keeper went to the police station right away, carrying what he had found when searching the area.”

“What?” Sansa asked, her body leaning forward unconsciously.

The President turned to Mr. Seaworth.

“Davos, could you please bring the box closer?”

Sansa held her breath, her eyes fixed on the box as Mr. Seaworth dragged it. Tommen thanked him and stood up to open it with a box cutter.

Sansa didn’t want to miss any detail, but she averted her eyes for a moment to look at Petyr. The Professor was leaning against the chair, his hands resting on his lap. At first sight no one would think that he was anxious to know the contents of the box, but Sansa didn’t let herself be fooled. He was staring at the President, paying attention to every movement, every gesture. Beneath his restful appearance, Petyr was vigilant.

It must be rare for something to go unnoticed by him, Sansa thought.

She turned her face again when The President pulled the lids away and lifted his chin.

“Ready?” he asked.

“Yes,” Sansa and Petyr said in unison.

“Well, perhaps you have some idea of what this is,” The President took an object out of the box and showed it to them.

Sansa squinted, trying to identify it.

It was an object in the shape of an equilateral triangle and it seemed to be made of metal. 

“Our scientists haven’t figured out what kind of metal or what its function is,” Tommen told them. “Is it decorative? Does it symbolize something? Is it of practical use?”

A silence fell over the room. Other questions popped into Sansa’s mind: Where did it come from? Had it end up in Westeros by accident or had someone left it there on purpose? Who had designed it? But there were no answers for any of those questions either. At least for now.

“May I?” Petyr broke the silence.

“Of course.” The President handed the object to him.

“Thank you.” The Professor took it and held it with his right hand. “It seems as light as the three objects the farmer found in the wheat field to the south of Dorne. Have the scientists been able to prove if it’s the same metal?”

“Unfortunately, no,” the President answered. “That’s why we’d like you and Ms. Stark to go to Saltcliffe. Perhaps you’ll find some clue that will help us solve the mystery.”

This time Petyr turned to Sansa, and she felt a tingle in her belly. Their first trip together.

“When should we depart?” Petyr asked without averting his eyes from her.

“As soon as possible,” Tommen said. “I guess you’ll have to talk with the President of the University first, but once you’ve set a day, let me know.” He took a card out of his pocket and handed it to the Professor. “This is my personal number, so from now on, every time you or Ms. Stark need to contact me, call here.”

“Alright, thank you.” Petyr grabbed the card.

“You’re welcome. Now, before concluding this meeting, I’d like to give you both your equipment.” The President leaned toward the box and started taking out different items. He left every one of them on the glass table as he spoke: “Two walkie-talkies with the longest possible range so you can talk to each other if you are apart, from a distance up to 30 miles. Two binoculars. Two pocket flashlights and also two helmets with integrated lights. Two voice recorders and two cameras.” The President looked at them alternatively. “That’s all for now but if you think there’s anything else that could be useful you just have to say it.”

No wonder the box was so big, Sansa thought. She hadn’t thought they’d need so many things.

“Nothing else comes to my mind, Mr. President,” Petyr said.

Tommen looked at Sansa.

“Ms. Stark?”

“Me neither, Mr. President.”

“Well, you can always call that number if you have any suggestions,” Tommen said, rising to his feet. “Now, Ms. Stark, if you would sign the confidentiality agreement… Mr. Baelish did so when we made him the offer. It’s just a formality, I have no reason to distrust either of you, but the government needs to take all the necessary precautions.”

Tommen seemed really uncomfortable bringing up this subject. Sansa gave him a reassuring smile.

“Of course, Mr. President, I understand.”

“Thank you.” The tension in his face disappeared, and he smiled too. For a moment, he looked so much younger. 

Sansa wondered how much different his life would be if he had never been elected President and if Cersei Lannister weren’t his mother.

V

After the meeting, Petyr and Sansa were taken back to the University. Mr. Seaworth also accompanied them and when they arrived, he got out of the car and shook their hands, wishing them a nice day.

Once the three official cars disappeared down the road, Sansa turned around and began walking to the entrance to the University, but Petyr’s voice made her stop.

“Sansa, wait. Please.”

She turned to him, confused. He smiled then, but there was something in his eyes… Concern, maybe? Yes, he seemed worried about something. But about what?

His tone sounded cheerful:

“There’s still an hour left until my next class, so I thought we could take a walk around the gardens, if you like.”

“Okay,” Sansa said slowly, her voice showing that she didn’t believe what he’d said. It was clear that the Professor needed to talk with her about something and he didn’t want to do it inside.

He smiled once more and put his hands inside his pockets. She waited until he was next to her before walking again.

The gardens of the University were famous, not only in King’s Landing but also in Westeros. There were some flowers that only grew there, such as Dream of Spring, and also seven of the oldest trees in the world.

The Professor and Sansa walked side by side in silence. Last night it had rained for hours and now it smelled of fresh grass, minerals and moss. As they went deep into the gardens, a pleasant breeze caressed their hair and clothing. From time to time, Sansa looked at the Professor out of the corner of her eye. He walked without raising his eyes from the ground and seemed lost in his thoughts. Sansa wanted to ask him what was wrong, and when they reached to a fountain surrounded by metal benches, she considered it the best moment to do so.

She stopped and touched his arm, startling him

“Sorry,” she said hurriedly. “I didn’t want to give you a start. Are you alright?”

“Yes.” He tried to smile, but this time he couldn’t.

“You’re worrying me, Petyr. What’s wrong?”

“Nothing. Nothing. It’s just…” He sighed and motioned to a bench. “I think we should sit down.”

“Okay.” Sansa followed him.

The Professor sat down and rested his hands on his knees. Sansa wanted to sit close to him, but she left a space in-between. She didn’t want him to feel more overwhelmed.

The Professor lifted his chin and met her eyes.

“I have to tell you something, Sansa. I should have told you before, but I couldn’t resist spending some time with you like this.”

“Like this? What do you mean?”

“Without being influenced by past events. It felt really good to spend this time with you like this, but now that we’ve been assigned our first task I cannot keep quiet anymore. It’s not fair to you.”

Sansa looked at him, confused.

“I’m sorry, but I don’t understand what you’re trying to tell me.”

He sighed again.

“I know,” he said, bowing his head for a moment before lifting his chin again. “Before I explain myself, I want you to know that I chose you among the other candidates because your resume was the best. There was no other reason. I promise.”

“Petyr, you’re starting to frighten me. What’s wrong? Please, just tell me.”

“Alright.” He took a deep breath. “I knew your mother a long time ago.”

Sansa blinked one, two, three times, her brain still processing his words.

“What?”

“My father was friends with Hoster. I spent my summers in Riverrun when I was a child, and when I turned twelve, they both decided it was best for me to move there indefinitely and study at the same school as Lysa, Catelyn and Edmure. They believed that I would have many more opportunities there than in The Fingers.”

“You lived with my mother for years,” Sansa said, her own words sounding strange to her ears.”

He looked apologetic.

“Yes, until I moved to Oldtown, to study at the University. While I was writing my thesis I worked there as an assistant professor. I wrote essays for different academic journals, served as an advisor to a student organization and taught some courses. It was a good experience, but my goal was always to move to King’s Landing, so when I was offered a job here after getting my doctorate, I accepted without hesitation.”

Sansa heard him talking but her mind was focused on his previous words. Why had her mother never mentioned him, not even once? Sansa took a deep breath.

“Is there anything else I should know?” she asked him.

“Yes.” He swallowed. “But first I need you to understand that your mother and I haven’t kept in touch. It’s been more than twenty years since the last time we saw each other. I’ve never heard from her again, and I’m no longer that boy. Please, believe me.”

“Just tell me, Petyr.” Sansa couldn’t stand the uncertainty anymore.

“Alright. Just remember what I’ve told you.” He paused. “This is not easy to say, and I know it won’t be pleasant to hear. I’m sorry.” Without averting his gaze from her, he said: “When I was a teenager, I was in love with your mother.” 

Sansa closed her eyes. No, please, no.

“I’m sorry,” Petyr repeated. “It was an adolescent infatuation and she never felt the same about me. I was like a brother to her, so nothing romantic happened between us. Ever.”

Sansa opened her eyes.

“Why didn’t you keep in touch after you left?”

His eyes showed regret.

“I had an argument with her boyfriend at that time.”

“Brandon?”

Petyr seemed relieved. He must have thought Sansa didn’t know that her mother had been in a relationship with Brandon before dating Ned.

“I know that my mother was dating Uncle Brandon and that my parents started going out together a year after he died.”

Petyr nodded.

“Edmure told me. He’s the only member of your family I’ve kept in touch with. We usually see each other twice a year, in July and December, but we communicate through letters every month.”

Oh. Sansa didn’t expect that they had kept the touch. A warm sensation spread across her chest. She felt happy for them both. It was comforting to learn that what had happened hadn’t broken their relationship.

“I only see Uncle Edmure on Christmas Eve. He goes to Winterfell for dinner with us and leaves in the early morning,” she said without bitterness. “When I was a child, sometimes we went to Riverrun to visit him, but I can barely remember it.”

“Edmure told me that Catelyn felt melancholy whenever she visited Riverrun so perhaps that’s why you stopped going there.”

“Perhaps.” She rested her cheek on her hand and looked at him. She wasn’t upset with him. It wasn’t pleasant to know that he had been in love with her mother, but thinking about it calmly, there was nothing strange about it. A boy had moved to a new home and he had fallen in love with one of the girls who lived there.

Petyr smiled softly.

“Are you angry with me?”

“No,” she answered. “I understand why you’ve waited a few days before telling me.”

“Thank you. This means so much to me.”

Sansa could imagine how difficult must have been for him to talk with her about this part of his life. How much he must have feared that she would quit her job after finding it out. He had grown up with her mother (moreover, he had been in love with her, but Sansa preferred not to think about that). Petyr and Catelyn must have been very close in their teens. Sansa didn’t want to imagine how painful the separation must have been. Only something terrible could have broken their relationship forever. She could sense that Petyr wasn’t ready to go into details about what had happened, so she didn’t asked him. Instead, she sat up straight again and said:

“I’m sorry you had an argument with Brandon.”

“Me too. If I could back in time, I’d act differently, but I guess then I wouldn’t be who I am. For better or worse, my past has influenced me, though I like to think that I’m better now than when I was a teenager.”

“I like who you are now, Petyr.” The words slipped out of her mouth.

“You are very kind.” 

“No, it’s not…” A beeping sound that came from Petyr’s wrist cut her off.

“Sorry,” he said pressing a button of his watch. “I set an alarm to avoid being late for my next class.”

“Don’t worry. We should go back then.” Part of herself was glad for the interruption. She was letting her emotions guide herself and that could be dangerous. She didn’t want to act impulsively. Not with him.

“Yes, we should.” Petyr raised his eyes from his watch and touched her arm gently. “Thank you for listening to me and for your understanding.”

“You thought this conversation would go badly, right?” she said, her voice tender.

“I didn’t know, and honestly I was concerned,” he confessed.

“I could tell.” Sansa gave him a little smile and placed her hand on his unconsciously. He smiled back, his eyes showing a vulnerability she had never seen before.

VI

When Sansa arrived at her flat that afternoon, the emotions of the day hit her, and she suddenly felt exhausted. She had to make a great effort to hang up her jacket and put her bag in the closet. Her body felt heavy, but she knew that she wouldn’t be able to sleep yet. Her mind was still processing everything that had happened today.

Taking a shower will suit me well, she decided. Afterwards she would have something light for dinner and if she still wasn’t sleepy, she would read a few chapters from Winds of Winter, the novel she was currently reading.

She let out a sigh as the stream of warm water spilled over her body. Thankfully the hot water worked. She turned the tap off and took her time soaping herself. The scent of lavender and vanilla soothed her. For the first time in hours, she was able to empty her mind. She focused on the sensations instead: the warm water against her skin, the pleasant smell, the sound of the drops that reminded her of rain falling. If she were lying in a bathtub, she was certain that she could have fallen asleep.

Later, when she had stepped out of the bathtub and was wrapping herself in a towel, the sound of the telephone downstairs startled her. A few seconds later, she heard Ms. Phillis’ voice:

“Sansa, your mother is on the phone!”

Her mother. If Catelyn knew that Sansa and Petyr haven been talking about her only a few hours before. 

Sansa left the bathroom barefoot, with her feet still wet. As she went down the stairs, she noticed the look of disapproval on Ms. Phillis’ face. Fortunately, the woman didn’t say anything, she just gave her the receiver and walked away. Sansa breathed deeply and answered the phone.

“Hi, dear. I hope I didn’t catch you at a bad time,” her mother said from the other side.

Sansa put the receiver between her shoulder and her ear in order to tie the towel with a knot and replied:

“No, mom, I just got out of the shower. Is everything alright?”

“Yes, I only wanted to see how you were doing since we couldn’t talk the other day.”

“Oh, yes, did you have fun at the movies?”

“Yes, thank you, we all have a lovely time. Jon told me that every day the kids ask when we are going again. But tell me about you. How are you doing at work, dear? Is the job what you expected?”

Certainly, there have been surprises, Sansa thought. But of course, she couldn’t say that or her mother would ask her what she meant. Sansa wasn’t ready to tell her that she worked for Petyr and that today he had told her about his relationship with her mother. Sansa chose to omit all those things and still say the truth:

“I’m happy with the job, mom. Very happy. Today has been really exciting. The Professor and I have met with the Government, so we have our first task yet. I can’t go into much detail, but we have to go to Saltcliffe. We still don’t know when, but it will likely be soon.”

“Awesome, dear. You have to call me when you know.”

“Sure.” Sansa grabbed the receiver with her right hand. “Mom, I should hang up. It has been such an intense day and I’m so tired.”

“Of course, honey. Rest well and don’t go to bed before eating dinner. I love you.”

“I love you too.” And I’m sorry I cannot tell you about Petyr just yet. “Good night, mom.”

*

The next day, the Professor met with the President of the University to agree on the journey date.

“How did it go?” Sansa asked him once he got back to his office.

“Well, well. The President suggested that we go tomorrow. I could give the morning classes and we could leave after lunch. Mr. Payne would replace me until we return. What do you think?”

“That sounds wonderful.” Sansa smiled happily. She didn’t expect them to be able to go this soon. In less than a day, they would be heading to Saltcliffe! She suspected those hours would feel like an eternity though. “How will we go?”

Her enthusiasm brought a smile to his face.

“I thought we could take the Dragon Queen Express to Salt City,” he answered. “First class, if possible. Then we would take a boat.”

The Dragon Queen Express was the fastest train in the world and also one of the most comfortable. The first-class compartment only seated up to two people, so they could have some privacy. It was perfect.

“Great. Do you want me to book the tickets?” Sansa asked him.

“Yes, please. Thank you.”

“You’re welcome.”

“I’ve told the President that we’ll spend at least one night there. We have to take photographs of the place where the lighthouse keeper found the object and talk to him about what he saw. Hopefully we’ll find some clues about the creature that bring us closer learning if there are extraterrestrial beings visiting our world.”

Sansa shivered, imagining the implications this discovery could have.

VII

It was raining when Sansa and Petyr took the train the next afternoon. Their compartment was very spacious and cozy. The walls were paneled in wood and the seats, upholstered in dark green, were soft. The drops of water fell on the window. Sansa found the sound very relaxing.

Petyr let out a satisfied sigh and leaned back in his seat, in front of her.

“Ah, I love traveling by train. It’s so peaceful in here. You can read, admire the landscape through the mirror while allowing yourself to daydream, or have a lovely conversation.” His eyes met hers after he pronounced the last words.

Sansa smiled. Surely, he had never taken the Icy Spike, the train that covered the northern route. The wagons were very old, and the wind slipped through the windows. Every time she had taken it she’d had to wear her coat and gloves.

“Yes, there’s something special about it, especially when the train is this comfortable,” she said. “And it also helps that you don’t have to share the compartment with strangers.”

“I agree.” Petyr nodded his head and gave her a gentle smile that reached his eyes.

She loved this expression on his face. It gave her a sense of safety and made her feel that everything was going to be alright.

“I have to tell you something,” she said.

Petyr bowed his head.

“Go on, you can tell me whatever you want.”

“Yesterday my mother called me to ask me how I was doing. She asked me specifically about my job, but I couldn’t tell her that I’m working for you and that only a few hours before you had told me about your relationship. I just couldn’t.”

He leaned forward and touched her hand.

“It’s normal. It’s not an easy conversation. You didn’t feel ready yesterday, but you will. Don’t worry. Just give yourself a little more time.”

“But what if she doesn’t understand? What if she gets mad at me, or worse, what if having that conversation harms our relationship?”

“She has no reason to get mad at you, and that conversation cannot harm your mother-daughter relationship. She loves you, Sansa.”

“Do you think so?”

“I’m certain. You have nothing to fear. Everything will be alright, sweetling.”

He didn’t seem to be pretending in the hope of making her feel better. He really seemed to believe his own words. Sansa wished to be so confident, but she couldn’t. She loved her mother, but she had never been able to talk with her about her feelings. Since she was a child, Sansa has seen her mother as if she were surrounded by a halo of perfection that made her unapproachable. Sansa didn’t know why she had this perception of her. Her siblings never seemed to have the same problem. Arya, Jon, Robb, Bran and Rickon always acted naturally in presence of Catelyn, especially Arya. Sometimes Sansa wished to be like Arya.

“What are you thinking, sweetling?” Petyr whispered.

Sansa looked at him, and it was then when she was aware that he had called her “sweetling” twice. The realization made her feel warm inside. The sensation brought to her mind those afternoons in Winterfell when it was snowing and she was a teenager and wrapped up in a blanket, drinking hot chocolate and reading a book while Lady dozed at her feet. However, the sensation vanished quickly, leaving her a feeling of vulnerability that caught her off guard. She shivered and Petyr noticed it.

“Are you cold?” he asked her softly.

“No.” She shook her head, a little overwhelmed by the sudden change of emotions. “It’s just… I don’t know how to explain it.” She met his eyes again and swallowed. “Could… could I sit next to you? It will be only for a while,” she hurried to add. She didn’t want to push any boundaries.

Petyr smiled then.

“You can spend the rest of the journey sitting next to me, if you like, Sansa.” He patted the seat to his left and added softly. “Come here.”

“Thank you.” She smiled and rose to her feet. She didn’t want to let go of his hand and apparently, he didn’t either for he kept holding it. His smile never left his face and once she was seated, he placed his free hand on her and squeezed it gently.

“Lean against me.”

Sansa did so. Although they both were wearing pullovers, she could feel the heat his body emitted. Or was it just her imagination?

“Better?” he asked softly.

“Yes, thank you” she murmured. She could spend the rest of the journey like this. She even could fall asleep if he continued rubbing her hand. But what about him? Perhaps her weight was too much. “Are you comfortable?”

“Oh, yes, sweetling. I’m much more comfortable now.

His answer made her smile.

VIII

Everything happened so soon that Petyr and Sansa didn’t have time to react. As soon as they got out of the train in Salt Station, a strong gust of wind came out suddenly and knocked them down. Petyr and Sansa fell onto the ground, in front of the other passengers, who looked at them in shock. It was as if the wind had leaped on them intentionally, and afterwards it vanished.

“Sansa.” Petyr tried to sit up. “Sansa, are you alright?”

“I think so.” She touched her head and blinked before fixing her eyes on him. “You?”

“Yes.”

“What happened?”

“I don’t know.” Petyr knit his brows. “It’s so strange, as if that wind wanted to attack us.” He put his hand in the pocket of his coat.

“Are you alright? Shall I call an ambulance?” a passenger asked them.

“I think it’s not necessary,” Sansa said. “We are al…”

“Sansa,” Petyr cut her off, his tone alarmed.

She looked at him with worry. Was he hurt? Please, no.

Petyr had turned pale.

“Sansa, I have lost the object.”

No. No, it couldn’t be possible. The metal object with the signs engraved on it that he had showed her during the job interview. One of three items a farmer had found in a wheat field to the south of Dorne.

“What are we going to do now?” she asked, her voice so faint that it was barely a whisper.

“I don’t know.”

IX

_The creature teleported to the Salt Station when they sensed the presence of a piece made of dracarys steel, a metal from their planet, so named because it was the only one that could resist the dragon’s fire. Dragons were very numerous in ASOIAF, their planet, and they were one of the most dangerous creatures. They could destroy whole towns. In contrast, their fire and scales were highly valuable, and they could only be found in the maegis’ stand in the markets._

_The dracarys steel has been always used to forge unbreakable swords, but in recent years some maesters have started to try and build inter-dimensional gates, assisted by maegis, females who practice the magic arts. The maegis were feared because it was said that they had made a pact with dark forces to have their magic. But these rumors had never prevented the kings from calling on them. Kings were ambitious and always wanted more power._

_Westeros was the closest planet and it was very similar to ASOIAF. This seeded an ambitious idea in the kings’ minds. What if they could travel to Westeros and rule it as well? They didn’t think about the risks nor did they think about negative outcomes. Instead they requested the maesters to develop the necessary technology to travel to Westeros._

_Centuries passed until a maester managed to create a spaceship. All the efforts, all the time and all the gold invested seemed to have paid off finally. The King, Aegon I, lost no time. He organized an expedition to travel to Westeros formed by warriors, biologists and physicists. They carried instruments to pick samples that would be analyzed once they went back to ASOIAF, but they also carried something to leave in Westeros: three dragon’s eggs._

_However, their intention of going back home couldn’t be achieved. As soon as they landed in Westeros, the spaceship broke down. The lights turned off and it remained quiet and still, like a giant stone. Try as they might, they couldn’t repair it, so they had to make the most difficult decision of their lives: to destroy it. They hid the fragments and resigned themselves to spend the rest of their lives in Westeros, trying not to draw attention to themselves. They were physically different from humans. They were shorter and their skin was pale grey. They avoided the urban areas and lived amongst animals, in lands with big trees and large lakes._

_But some people from Westeros saw them. Hunters, fishers, hermits. The news spread across the continents._

_People called them the children of the forest._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you enjoyed it. Thanks for reading! :-)


	3. The lighthouse keeper I

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is unbeta-ed, but I hope you enjoy it regardless :-) I apologize for any mistakes in my English.

Sansa and Petyr were barely aware that several hands had grabbed their arms to help them stand up. They stood up slowly. What had just happened? A young man asked them if they were alright.

“Yes,” Sansa answered mechanically. She would probably have some bruises in the morning, but other than, she was alright. The problem was that they’d lost the metallic object. She looked at Petyr. The professor looked still pale, and he swallowed when their eyes met. 

“Yes, we’re alright, thank you,” he said in a hoarse voice.

Sansa noticed some expressions of doubt among the crowd, but no one spoke. After some seconds, Petyr broke the silence again:

“Thank you all for your help. Fortunately, we’re alright, and we’re in a bit of a hurry so we should leave.”

“Perhaps you should see a doctor, just in case,” a woman said.

“Oh, no, that’s not necessary, we’re alright, aren’t we?” The professor looked at Sansa, silently asking her to corroborate his words.”

“Oh, yes, of course, we’re alright,” Sansa gave the woman a smile.

Before the woman, or anyone else, could reply, the professor took his suitcase, grabbed Sansa’s hand and started walking. She hurried to take her suitcase and followed him, but turned her head to the crowd one last time and said quickly:

“Thank you all. Have a nice day! 

*

“Are you alright?” the professor asked Sansa once they were far from the crowd. He didn’t stop nor did he let go of her hand. 

“Yes. And you?” She looked at him out of the corner of her eye. Color had returned to his face, but his breathing was ragged.

“Yeah, yeah, I’m alright.”

“Petyr…”

“I’m not hurt,” the professor cut in. “We need to talk about what happened, but not here. It’s not safe. We should wait until we’re in the guesthouse.”

Sansa couldn’t help but look around after hearing his words. She almost expected to find a hooded person spying them, but the street was empty save for them. She shook her head, feeling a little embarrassed. Her imagination was very vivid. 

Who could know that they were there?

It took them fifteen minutes to arrive at the port. Sansa had bought two ferry tickets to Saltcliffe online, and when she looked at her watch, she saw their ferry was about to leave. Sansa had read on the website that the next scheduled run was in the morning. Damn. She checked the identification number and then raised her face. Her eyes traveled around the ships. Come on, come on, it had to be there. 

“There!” She’d found it. It was quite small. She wasn’t surprised that there were no passengers queuing; only an employer dressed in white was standing beside the ferry. She’d read somewhere that Saltcliffe didn’t receive many visitors.

She tightened her grip on Petyr’s hand and started running. He let out a gasp of surprise, but he didn’t complain. 

The temperature was dropping. The air was thick, and Sansa could almost feel the taste of the salt in her lips. A gentle breeze began blowing as they ran, and she flinched inwardly. What if the thing that had knocked them down before had followed them? What if they were planning their next attack?

She squeezed his hand and ran faster.

By the time they stood in front of the ferry, they both were out of breath. Sansa gave the tickets to the man and turned to Petyr, trying to catch her breath. The professor was also panting. The air had fluttered his hair and now it was messy. Sansa smiled. It made him look chilled and relaxed.

The man gave her the tickets back and gestured for them to get on the ferry with a bored expression.

They had gotten just in time because a few seconds later, they heard a siren and the ferry began moving.

There were no one on the deck; all the seats were empty. Sansa guessed everybody was inside. This was a 20-minute ride, and so long as it wasn’t raining or there was a storm, she preferred to spend it on the deck. She turned to Petyr to ask him what he preferred and saw his face had sombered. He must be thinking about the incident at the station. Even though this was a short trip, she knew it could become a nightmare if he spent every minute of it blaming himself for losing the object. She touched his arm, and he startled slightly. She gave him an apologetic smile and asked:

“Would you like to seat on the deck?”

He blinked and his body relaxed.

“Yeah, yeah, of course.”

They sat across from each other, their suitcases a few inches away from them.

“Had you traveled by ferry before?” Sansa asked him.

“Yes, I’ve been in Orkmont and Harlaw, but it’s been a long time since then. It was the year I got the job as a professor. Before I had been an associate professor. Gods, it feels like it happened many centuries ago.” He chuckled.

“Come on, you’re not that old!” Sansa couldn’t suppress a laugh.

The professor leaned back in his seat and smirked.

“Ah, what if I told you that I’m many centuries years old, Ms. Stark?”

“I would think that pomegranate you ate for dessert was poisoned,” Sansa jocked. “Now I’m relieved that I didn’t eat half of eat.”

Amusement flickered in his eyes.

“You seemed certain that you’re right.”

“I am.”

“Think about it. You’ve accepted a job that mostly consists of proving that intelligent life exists beyond our planet. You may see things you never imagined. You may believe in what seems unbelievable. Why the idea of me being many centuries old seems unreal?”

Sansa smiled. She didn’t know how this topic of conversation had started but she didn’t care. She was having so much fun and she’d accomplished her goal: preventing him from thinking of what happened at the station.

“Okay,” she said. “Let’s suppose you are many centuries old. How did you manage to surpass life expectancy so extraordinarily? Did you make a pact with a supernatural creature? Did you sell your soul? Don’t tell me that you have a portrait hidden in your attic that is aging instead of you.”

The professor chuckled softly.

“You caught me, sweetling. I haven’t looked at it lately but last time I checked, the portrait showed the image of a decrepit old man.”

“I bet he was smirking.”

“He was. And his eyes had a wicked shine.”

“He must be terrifying.”

“Indeed. I’m afraid his soul is corrupt by now.”

“How terrible.” Sansa leaned forward unconsciously.

His gaze settled on her lips.

“It is,” he whispered.

Suddenly, a huge wave hit the ferry, and it jolted. Sansa gasped, and the professor grabbed her arms instinctively. The ferry pitched up and down, and Sansa felt nauseous. She stared into Petyr’s eyes and took a deep breath.

“I hope a storm doesn’t catch us here,” she muttered.

“Me too.” He gently rubbed her arms. “Are you alright?”

She nodded. 

“Yes, I just need to get used to this rocking sensation. Last time I went for a ride on a boat I was four or five years old.”

“Yes, once I got seasick. It’s not very pleasant. But we’ll arrive soon.” He gave her a smile and pulled away.

Sansa rested her back on her seat again and said:

 

“It’s getting dark. Do you think we should wait until tomorrow to see the lighthouse keeper?”

“I think we could try to visit him today, once we let our suitcases in the guesthouse. We could have dinner afterwards if you agree.”

“Yes, I’m not hungry.” And she was looking forward to seeing the lighthouse keeper. Perhaps he could reveal them some new information.

“Perfect.”

*

The guesthouse was small; it looked like a cozy little cottage. There were red, yellow and lilac flowers in window boxes and several ceramic carved pumpkins beside the front door. The lanterns casted an orange light.

“It seems Halloween is here,” Sansa jocked.

“Yes, perhaps we’ve come to the wrong place,” the professor lowered his voice. “Perhaps this is a witch house.”

“Petyr!” She tapped his arm playfully.

They entering the guesthouse laughing. In the hall there was only one receptionist. He was typing something, but he stopped when he heard them.

“Good afternoon. Welcome to Saltcliffe Guesthouse,” he said.

“Thank you. We’d booked two rooms under the name of Ms. Stark,” Sansa told him.

“Ms. Stark,” the receptionist repeated and started typing again. 

Sansa turned to Petyr and smiled at him. Soon they would be on their way to the lighthouse.

“I’m sorry, Ms. Stark.” The receptionist knitted his brow. “There must be a mistake but there’s only a room reservation under your name.”

“What? No! I said I wanted two rooms.” Warmth spread across her cheeks. This couldn’t be happening. The person that had taken the phone call must have thought they were a couple.

“Do you have another available room?” Petyr asked softly. He looked very calm, and Sansa wondered if he didn’t mind sharing a room with her.

The receptionist typed again and shook his head. 

“I’m so sorry but we don’t have any other room available.” 

A silence fell over the hall. 

“Could you watch our suitcases? We need to speak in private.” Petyr said after several seconds.

“Of course. I’m so sorry this has happened.” 

The professor nodded as if accepting his apology and touched Sansa’s arm.

“Come.”

They went outside and stopped beside the door. Sansa tucked a lock of her hair behind her ear and looked at him.

Petyr smiled softly, as if he was also apologizing. 

“This is the only guesthouse in the island,” he said. “There are no hotels here and the next ferry doesn’t operate until tomorrow.”

“I know.” Sansa was aware this was her best option to spend the night, but she wanted to know if he was annoyed. He didn’t seem to be.

The professor locked his eyes with her.

“We don’t have to share the bed. I can sleep on the floor. I’m sure the receptionist will give me some blankets so I can use them as a mattress.”

“Oh, no, no. You can’t sleep on the floor! We can share the bed. I mean, if you are not opposed to the idea.”

His eyes lit up and he seemed relieved.

“Of course, I’m not opposed, Sansa. But are you sure you don’t mind?”

“I don’t mind,” she smiled. She was telling him the truth. She felt a tickling sensation in her belly, but she was certain this wasn’t a bad sign. “Now we should take our suitcases to the room. Hopefully the lighthouse keeper will be willing to talk with us tonight.” Her smile grew bigger. “Shall we?”

*

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter notes:
> 
> The conversation about the portrait was a reference to _The Picture of Dorian Gray_ by Oscar Wilde.
> 
> I wanted to include the "There was only one bed trope" in this story, thought there won't be smut in that scene (this is a slow burn).
> 
> Thanks for reading! :-)


	4. The lighthouse keeper II

The sky and the sea looked like two black canvas when Petyr and Sansa headed to the lighthouse. The street lights were dimmer on the outskirts. Petyr and Sansa walked in silence, looking at the ground. They could hear the waves crashing on the rocks.

They didn’t meet anyone on their way; everybody seemed to be inside their houses. Perhaps they were eating dinner. Maybe in an hour or two the streets were livelier. Sansa had only seen a pub so far. This must be the meeting point in the island. There didn’t seem to be many other leisure activities apart from fishing or birdwatching. There was no sandy beach on the island, and the sea looked quite rough. It was probably dangerous to swim in. How would it be to stay through the winter? Sansa wondered. She was used to the cold (Winterfell hadn’t gotten its name by chance), but she thought it must be harder to cope with difficult weather in an island. How many times had Seatcliff been cut off by storms? Days and nights surrounded by water, knowing there was no way to leave, feeling confined, trapped. Sansa experienced a feeling of oppression just imagining it. She shook her head, trying to get rid of it. 

The lighthouse was on the top of a cliff, surrounded by trees and brushes. A gust of wind blew when they stopped in front of the door. Sansa lifted her gaze to the lantern. The light, large like a footbridge and brighter than any other light she’d seen before, was rotating over the coast. A trail among the shadows. She turned to the professor and saw him adjust his cloak and move his feet. He was cold, she could tell. When their eyes met, he looked a little embarrassed. Sansa opened her mouth to tell him there was nothing to be embarrassed, but he spoke then:

“Let’s see what the man can tell us.” 

Sansa could hear the excitement in his voice and despite the semi-darkness, she was certain she’d noticed a sparkle in his eyes. It was clear that he didn’t want to admit he was cold, so she decided not to mention it and smiled instead. He smiled back and rang the bell.

A melancholic melody mingled with the sound of the waves. It sounded like the tune of a flute. They looked at each other with surprise. They had expected either an strident sound or a ding-dong, but not this.

It’s quite original,” the professor commented as he took out his identification.

“Yes.” Sansa also took out her identification. “Have you ever been in a lighthouse?”

“No. You?”

She shook her head. How would be to live there? The lighthouse was far from the other buildings. The lighthouse keeper had no neighbors. If something happened to him, no one would know.

Sansa turned her head, and her eyes wandered. Beside her, Petyr tensed.

“What’s wrong? Have you heard something?” His voice sounded worried, as if he was expecting someone or something to come out from behind the trees. He took a step forward, placing himself between her and the trees. 

Sansa was touched by his reaction, but at the same time, the situation made her want to laugh. She felt as if she were inside of a sci-fi movie. 

“Don’t worry, I was just wondering where the lighthouse keeper saw the creature.”

His body relaxed.

“Ah.” He came closer to the door again.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to scare you,” Sansa said.

“It’s alright.” His lips curled into a soft smile. 

They heard footsteps inside the lighthouse. The professor cleared his throat, and Sansa averted her eyes from him just when the door opened slightly. They could only see an eye, and half of a nose and a mouth. It was enough to know that the man was shorter than them and that he looked annoyed.

“Good evening” he said with a raspy voice.

“Good evening.” The professor held out his identification. “My name is Petyr Baelish, and this is my assistant, Sansa Stark. We work for the government, trying to find evidence that extraterrestrial life exists, and we’ve been required to come here.”

“I’ve already talked with the police, and they informed the Department of Intelligence.” The door didn’t move.

This was going to be harder than they expected.

“I imagine it must be annoying to tell the same story again,” Sansa intervened. “But we’re very interested in hearing it from you. It’s always better to get the information from the source if you want to know the truth.”

The door opened a few inches more, revealing his face almost completely.

“Why do you want to know the truth?” The man stared at her.

“Sorry?” Sansa knitted her brows. 

“Why do you want to know the truth?” The man repeated, and this time there was a hint of impatience in his voice.

Sansa glanced at Petyr, before turning her face to the lighthouse keeper once more. He was waiting for an answer. This was the acid test, she was certain; her answer would determine whether he let them come in. 

“We’re not from the Department of Intelligence,” she said, her mouth a bit dry. She swallowed and her tone sounded firmer as she went on: “Mr. Baelish works as a Professor of Astronomy at Kings’ Landing University. The government contacted him because he’s the best. And he’s the best because he strives for knowledge. His main goal is always to unravel the mystery, to find out the truth, no matter how long it takes. You can bet he won’t stop until he gets to the bottom of the matter.”

Her heart was pounding faster when she finished speaking. The lighthouse keeper continued staring at her in silence, his face unreadable. Sansa held her gaze, trying to feign calm. She wondered what Petyr was thinking right now. She hasn’t told any lie; she really believed that Petyr was the best in his field and that he hasn’t accepted the job for the money. He has accepted it because it was his opportunity to access to priceless information. Knowledge was power. Besides, he looked like the kind of man who loved challenges.

The lighthouse keeper finally turned his gaze away from her.

“I knew who you were,” he confessed.

Oh.

“I saw his photograph in the newspapers.” He motioned at the professor. “Renown scientist will collaborate with the government on the alien research. I admit the title sparked my interest, but I’m not stupid. I know what happens when people come to power. They like to keep people in the dark to control them.” He looked at them alternatively. “How do I know that you’re not trying to hide any proof of extraterrestrial life?”

“If Cersei were still our president, your suspicion would be correct,” the professor conceded. “But she isn’t.”

“Now it’s her son,” the man’s tone sounded bitter.

“It is.” Petyr nodded. “But he’s not to blame for her mother’s actions. I’m not saying we must trust him blindly, but I think we should give him the benefit of the doubt. He could have contacted me privately, and no one would know that Ms. Stark and I were collaborating with the government. But he decided to make his goal public. It’s no secret that he wants to find out if aliens have already visited our planet. What he will do if we manage to prove it remains a mystery, but I don’t know if there will be more opportunities like this in the future, so I’m determined to make the most of it.”

The lighthouse keeper tilted his head; he seemed to feel conflicted. Sansa could tell that he still didn’t trust them, but he wanted to believe his words. He wanted people to know about his encounter with the creature. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have talked with the police nor would he have given them the object. 

“I was going to eat dinner,” he said finally.

“Oh.” Sansa tried to hide her disappointment. “Of course. We could come tomorrow if you…”

“Do you like fish soup?” The man cut her off.

Sansa turned to Petyr and saw the corner of his mouth curved up slightly. She hurried to answer:

“Yes, I do.”

“And you, Mr. Baelish?”

“Fish soup is one of my favorite meals.”

“Would you like to come in?” He still looked hesitant, but he opened the door a few inches more.

Petyr gave him a reassuring smile, as if trying to convince him that he’d made the right decision.

“It would be a pleasure.”

*

They sat at the table, three steamy bowls of soup with prawns, clams and salmon in front of them. Petyr and Sansa hadn’t realized they were hungry until they took a spoonful.

“It’s delicious,” Sansa said. It was the best soup she’d ever eaten, but she didn’t say it aloud because didn’t want him to think she was trying to flatter him.

“I concur,” Petyr smiled.

“Thank you. The seafood is excellent in this area,” the lighthouse keeper told them.

They didn’t speak again until they finish the soup. Then, the old man poured three glasses of a red liquid.

“It’s mulled wine,” he handed them two glasses. “It’s good for warming up when it’s cold.”

Sansa had never tried it. It tasted sweet and spicy; it contained cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, honey and orange peel. She wasn’t used to drinking alcohol, so she hoped it didn’t get her tipsy. Petyr took a sip and placed the glass on the table.

“Thank you for your hospitality, Mr____” He paused.

“Hill,” the lighthouse keeper said.

“Mr. Hill.” The professor smiled.

“You’re welcome. I know both of you are waiting to hear the story from me, but I really told the police everything I remember from that day, However, there’s something I’ve never told anyone.” The old man stood up and walked towards a chest of drawers placed in a corner. Sansa and Petyr exchanged a look. What was he going to show them?

The old man opened the first drawer and took out a folder. As he walked towards the table again, he said:

“My father believed in aliens, but I was the only one who knew. He told me that once he contacted him through a dream. He said the images were confusing, but he drew them.” The lighthouse keeper placed the folder on the table and opened it. There were three drawings, all of them in black and white. The man spread them out. The first one showed several flying saucers in a purple sky. The saucers were small and black. The second one showed a wheat field with crop circles. “My father thought they were trying to tell him something, but he didn’t know what. He didn’t dream of them again.”

“May I?” Petyr held out his hand to the third drawing. It showed a big flying saucer. 

The lighthouse keeper nodded. Petyr grabbed it and examined it with attention for several seconds before handing it to Sansa. Soon she saw what had caught his attention.

There were three circular objects with some signs engraved on it at the top of the flying saucer. Sansa recognized them right away.

They were just like the objects the farmer had found in a wheat field to the South of Dorne.


	5. The lighthouse keeper III

She lifted her gaze to meet his and saw him shook his head; his gesture was so subtle that she almost thought she’d imagined it, but no, he’d shaken his head, a silent no to tell her that they couldn’t mention the circular objects to the lighthouse keeper. The farmer’s discovery of the three objects in Dorne was confidential; it hasn’t appeared in the newspapers.

Petyr looked at the lighthouse keeper.

“Mr Hill, I hope I’m not being indiscreet, but how long has it been since your father had that dream?”

“Don’t worry, professor, I’m not reluctant to reveal my age. Let’s see, my father would be ninety-one now, and he must be around twelve when it happened.”

“So, it’s been around eighty years,” Petyr said.

The lighthouse keeper suddenly looked uncomfortable.

“I know he was very young, but I’m certain he didn’t invent it. Unlike most kids, he wasn’t very imaginative. He was probably the last person anyone would expect to have this dream. Damn, one would think the aliens would choose someone more receptive to make contact.” He shook his head, half-amused and half-bothered. “But they chose him, and that dream left a mark on him. He never wanted to find out what those images meant and until the last of his days he feared of dreaming about them again. He told me a few years before he died and gave me the drawings in this folder. He said he’d never looked at them again since he drew them and asked me not to open the folder in his presence. I could see the terror in his eyes as he spoke, even though it’s been more than fifty years since he’d had the dream.”

A thick silence followed his words. Sansa set the drawing on the table carefully; she couldn’t avert her eyes from the flying saucer. Why the aliens would make contact with a kid? What had they tried to tell him? What had they expected him to do?

A thought came to her.

If Mr Hill was right and his father never wanted to have anything to do with aliens, perhaps they had made contact with someone else. If so, had they chosen someone from Saltcliffe again? It would be too much of a coincidence, but it was possible. Or perhaps they had made contact with several people all over the world throughout the years. Anyway, trying to find any of them would be like looking for a needle in a haystack. 

“Thank you for telling us.” The professor’s voice broke the silence.

The lighthouse keeper nodded his head.

“I’m afraid this is all I can tell you,” he said, and he truly seemed to feel sorry about it.

Petyr smiled at him.

“Don’t worry, Mr Hill. The information you gave us is very helpful.”

Sansa knew Petyr wasn’t just being kind. Thanks to the lighthouse keeper, they’d learned that the three objects were exterior parts of a flying saucer. Where was the rest of the flying saucer? It remained a mystery.

“I wish I could be of more help,” Mr Hill said. He looked at Petyr, a flicker of hope in his eyes. “Will you tell me if you find out why the aliens made contact with my father?”

Sansa thought the professor would hesitate before answering. She thought he would finally tell him that he was sorry, but they couldn’t reveal any details of their investigation. However, Petyr’s voice didn’t falter when he said:

“I promise we’ll do everything in our power to ensure you know the truth, Mr Hill. You deserve to understand why your father had this dream.” Petyr raised his glass; his gesture looked like a silent promise. He took a sip and set the glass on the table again.

Sansa didn’t know if this had been his intention, but they didn’t talk about aliens anymore. Mr Hill told them about how life in Saltcliffe was. When they finished their drinks, the professor rose to his feet.

“I think we should leave; it’s getting late. Thank you for a lovely ending, Mr Hill. The dinner and the wine were delicious.” He held out his hand.  
Sansa also stood up. The lighthouse keeper looked the professor in the eye as he shook his hand.

“I’ve decided to trust you, Mr Baelish.” He released his hand and turned to Sansa. “And you, Ms Stark.”

Were his eyes pleading or was she imagining it? She shook his hand, feeling a knot in her stomach. She didn’t know what to say.

Mr Hill accompanied them to the door. Sansa and Petyr said goodbye to him once more before walking away. Out of the corner of her eye, Sansa saw he hadn’t gone in yet. The man was still staring at them. She turned her face to the professor and saw he looked quite satisfied. 

When they were several feet away from the lighthouse, she looked back and saw Mr Hill had disappeared. He must have already gone in the lighthouse. He couldn’t hear them. She turned her face to the professor again. 

“Why did you tell him that we’d do everything in our power to ensure he knows the truth?” Sansa asked.

Petyr stopped and turned to her. He tilted his head, his eyes studying her face.

“You thin I’ve lied to him.” It wasn’t a question.

“Our conversation is confidential,” she reminded him.

“And you’re upset.”

“I feel guilty,” Sansa confessed. “It isn’t right to give him false hope.”

“I haven’t lied to him, Sansa. If we find out why his father had that dream, I have every intention of asking the President permission to tell him.”

“Really?” she asked skeptical.

“Yes.”

“And do you think the President will agree?”

“I don’t know, but the important thing is that I haven’t lied. I’m certain Mr Hill is aware that finding out the truth won’t be an easy task. He wants to believe it’s possible to solve the mystery, but at the same time he doesn’t want to get his hopes up. He has his feet on the ground.”

“It’s just____” Sansa paused and shook her head.

“What is it?” Petyr asked gently.

“Forget it. It even sounds ridiculous inside my head.”

“Nothing you can say would sound ridiculous. Please, tell me.”

“Okay.” She put her hands inside her pockets, a little embarrassed. “Didn’t you_____ Didn’t you notice that when he said he trusted us he looked pleading? As if silently asking us not to betray him. I know betray may sound too strong a word in this context, but I got this impression.”

The professor nodded.

“Yeah. Me too.” 

“You too?”

“Yeah. Mr Hill doesn’t look like the kind of man who trusts easily, but he needs to find out the truth. Need may also sound too strong a word, but I think it’s fitting. That dream haunted his father all his life. Mr Hill needs to know its meaning. The uncertainty must be torturing him. That’s why he wants to believe in us.”

“We cannot fail him.” The words spilled out of her mouth before she could realize.

His lips curled into a soft smile. 

“Come, let’s go to the guesthouse. We have to write down our conversation with Mr Hill.” He paused and his face sombered. “And we must talk about what happened at the station.”

The lost object. Sansa nodded. They had to find the way to get it back.

They resumed walking. She felt warmer than they’d gone to the lighthouse even thought now it was colder. It was probably the wine, she thought. She turned her face to Petyr once more.

“Had you ever drunk mulled wine before?”

“Yes, I had only drunk it in the Christmas Holidays. How about you?”

“I had never drunk it before,” Sansa told him.

“Oh.” Petyr looked at her with curiosity. “Did you like it?”

“Yes. Though I don’t know if it’s wise to drink while working.” She didn’t want to sound as a party pooper, but she thought she must tell him. Besides, when they met, he’d said he would like it if they could talk honestly.

To her relief, the professor nodded.

“You’re right, but Mr Hill would have been offended if we had refused. He’d have been less receptive. He didn’t want to treat us as two people who worked for the government. He needed to think of us as two strangers, just like those you can meet in a pub. Two strangers you can talk with as you have a drink.”

Sansa mulled over his words. He could read people and he always seemed to know how to make people do what he wanted. She didn’t know how to feel about that. Certainly, his ability has proven very useful, but what if he used it with her? What if he tried to manipulate her to get what he wanted? And what if she didn’t realize he was doing so?

“You’re very quiet,” he said soflty. “What’s wrong?”

“You’re very good at making people do what you want,” she replied. She couldn’t help it, but her tone sounded accusatory. 

He stopped once more, but this time there was a worried look on his face. They stared at each other in silence, until he spoke again, his voice gentle:

“Go on, Sansa. Say it.”

She swallowed.

“Would you be able to manipulate me, Petyr?”

“No,” he answered calmly.

“Why not?” She needed a reason to believe him.

“Because I don’t want you to do anything against your wishes,” he said without hesitation.

That was a good reason, she thought. But how could she know that he was being sincere?

“I need you to believe me, Sansa.” He paused and shook his head. “No, I want you to believe me. please.”

“Because otherwise we won’t be able to keep working together, right?”

“No. Forget about the job. I want you to believe me because I care about what you think of me. That’s the truth.” He didn’t move, but she could tell he wanted to. He wanted to come closer to her, but he was holding back.

His revelation made her feel special. It was a wonderful sensation, but she shook her head, trying to get rid of it. _Don’t be naïve. He values your opinion because he likes working with you_ , she told herself.

Until now she hadn’t realized that she was developing feelings for him. No, she corrected herself, she had realized, but she hadn’t wanted to admit it to herself. She had thought the best she could do was to deny her feelings. Clearly, she had been wrong. It was better to acknowledge them. She must control her emotions instead of letting them control her. She should be careful from now on. 

And she should be extra careful tonight. 

“Are you alright?” His voice brought her back to reality.

“Yes.” She took a deep breath and looked him in the eye. He still looked worried. She came closer to him; her cloak almost brushed his. “I choose to trust you, Petyr.”

He looked down at her lips, and his mouth opened slightly. What was he thinking? She wished she could know the answer. When his eyes met hers again, her stomach fluttered. Careful, she reminded herself.

His voice was barely a whisper.

“I will never betray you, Sansa.”

She swallowed.

“Okay,” she muttered and turned her eyes away from him. She took a step back. “We should continue.”

“Yeah.” He cleared his throat. 

They didn’t speak again until they arrived at the guesthouse. When they stepped into their bedroom, they took off their cloaks. Petyr rolled up his sleeves as Sansa pulled her notebook from her suitcase, and they sat at the desk. The logs crackled in the fireplace; it was a pleasant sound. 

Sansa wrote the date at the top of the page and lifted her face, meeting his eyes. He gave her a smile. His arms were resting on the desk and he looked relaxed. He wasn’t wearing a tie, and Sansa noticed his shirt was a little wrinkled and he’d left the first button unbuttoned. She found herself wishing that she could run her fingertips over his forearms and hold his hands. Her own reaction surprised her. She hurried to look down at her notebook and said:

“Well, thanks to the conversation with Mr Hill now we know that the three objects the farmer found in a wheat filed to the South of Dorne are exterior parts of a flying saucer,” she said writing it down.

“Yes, this seems the more likely hypothesis.”

“If we’re right, then what happened to the flying saucer?” Sansa asked lifting her face again. 

“It probably crashed.”

“And why no one has found anything else apart from the three objects?”

“Perhaps the aliens survived and hid the remains of the flying saucer. Or perhaps they made them disappear. We don’t know how their technology is,” he reasoned. “Though I don’t understand why they didn’t hide the three objects as well.”

“Maybe they wanted someone to find them,” Sansa said.

His eyes flickered with excitement. He was enjoying this.

“Why?” he asked leaning forward.

“I don’t know. Maybe it’s their way to tell us they are here.”

“If so, they must know we’ve found them. And they must also know that several scientists have been testing them.” He tapped his fingers on the desk. 

“And they must have known we have one of the objects!” Sansa exclaimed and shuddered when another idea came to her. “They must have been stalking us.”

“And they managed to take it from me.” His gaze darkened.

“What should we do? Should we tell the President?”

“No. He doesn’t expect me to give it back just yet. The scientists have the other two. They can keep testing them. We have the opportunity to recover it before someone learns I lost it.”

“Before someone learns _we_ lost it,” Sansa corrected him, her tone warm. “We’re together in this, Petyr. We’ll overcome this or face the consequences. Together.”

She saw him swallow twice. He seemed to have trouble finding a reply. 

“You’re kind,” he said finally. “But I won’t let you bear the blame for my mistakes, Sansa.”

“It wasn’t your fault. Whoever took it from you could have done it in anywhere else!”

He sighed and ran his hand through his hair.

“Let’s not imagine the worst, alright? It’s has been a busy day and we’ve accomplished our task here. We’ve talked with Mr Hill and made progress with our investigation. There’s nothing else we can do here.”

“So are we leaving tomorrow?” she asked.

“Yes. Hopefully it won’t be our last trip together,” he said trying to lighten the mood.

However, his words brought a lump to her throat. She didn’t want this trip to end just yet. She knew there were still many hours before sunrise, yet she felt as if they were already leaving.

“I agree,” she said closing her notebook. She leaned back in her chair and couldn’t hold back a yawn. “Oh, I’m sorry, I’m not bored, just…” 

“Tired,” he finished her sentence, a gentle smile tugging at his lips. “Don’t worry, I’m tired too, but I didn’t dare to confess it. I didn’t want to sound like a decrepit old man.”

Sansa let out a laugh, remembering their conversation in the ferry, and the lump in her throat dissolved a little.

“Remember the decrepit old man is inside the paint, Petyr. You must have plenty of energy.”

“ _Touche._ ” He tilted his head, his eyes flickering with amuse. “How could I forget?”

“But I guess even the men who have a lot of energy need to get some rest from time to time,” she added.

“You’re very right, sweetling.”

Sweetling. She liked it when he called her sweetling. _Gods, what have you done to me, Petyr? She rose to her feet._

“I think I’m going to take a shower.” She was glad it wasn’t summer or else she would have chosen a short nightgown and would have spent the night trying to stop it from rising. She knew Petyr would never do anything to make her uncomfortable, at least not consciously, but she was certain it would have been embarrassing regardless.

“Alright. I’ll also take a shower when you finish,” he said.

Sansa glanced at her notebook once more.

“Feel free to add more notes in the meantime,” she told him.

Petyr smiled playfully.

“What have we said, Sansa? Enough work for today.”

“Okaaay,” she tried to bite back a smile. “I just wanted to let you know that you can use the notebook, if you like.”

“I know what you meant. I was just teasing you.”

“Petyr!” She gave him a soft pat on the shoulder.

He was still laughing when she stepped into the bathroom. She closed the door and looked at herself in the mirror.

Her smile was brighter than ever.

*

Petyr was reading a scientist magazine when Sansa stepped out of the bathroom. She smelled of lemon soap.

“Didn’t you say we had done enough work for today, Petyr?”

His lips twitched. He closed the magazine and stood up.

“I was just killing time.”

“I see.” She pressed her lips to suppress a smile.

He opened his suitcase and grabbed a pair of black cotton pajamas. When he passed by her side, they locked eyes, and this time Sansa couldn’t bite back a smile.

Once he stepped into the bathroom, Sansa crawled into the bed, facing the door, and tucked herself in. It felt as if only some seconds had passed when the door opened again. A scent of mint, not overpowering, spread across the room as he walked towards the bed. They exchanged smiles. The pajamas suited him very well, she thought.

"May I turn off the light?" he asked.

After she nodded, she heard a faint _click_ , and the shadows invaded the room. The fireplace was now the only source of light.

Petyr pushed aside the blanket and the sheet and got into the bed, facing her. Their bodies were just a few inches away from each other. Sansa’s heart pounded faster; she didn’t dare to move for fear of ruining the moment. She stared into his eyes and even though the light from the fireplace was dim, she saw his pupils dilate. It didn’t mean anything, she told herself. His eyes were probably adjusting to the new intensity of light.

Even though she was exhausted, she didn’t want to sleep. If she closed her eyes, perhaps it was daytime when she opened them.

“Here it is again,” he said softly. “That look of sadness on your face. I saw the same sadness in your eyes when I said that hopefully this wouldn’t be our last trip together.”

Shit. He had noticed. Sansa curled up, not knowing what to say. She was feeling more emotional than usual. Perhaps the wine had something to do. Petyr kept watching her face. When he spoke again, he didn’t ask her what was wrong (perhaps he already knew the answer). Instead he asked:

“What can I do?”

The words spilled out of her mouth right away:

“Could you hold my hand?” She hoped it hadn’t sounded too cheesy.

He gave her a gentle smile.

“Of course, sweetling.” His hand found hers beneath the sheet; it was warm, and she instantly felt better. His thumb caressed her palm in circular motions and for an instant, she forgot how to breathe.

_Shit. What have you done to me, Petyr?_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! :-) It will take me a while to write the next adventure, I'm sorry. But I hope you enjoyed this one :-)


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